NLT Illustrated Study Bible - Book of Acts - Flipbook - Page 62
A cts 2 0 : 6
2018
us at Troas. 6 After the Passover* ended, we
boarded a ship at Philippi in Macedonia and
five days later joined them in Troas, where
we stayed a week.
Paul’s Final Visit to Troas
7 On the first day of the week, we gathered
with the local believers to share in the Lord’s
Supper.* Paul was preaching to them, and
since he was leaving the next day, he kept
talking until midnight. 8 The upstairs room
where we met was lighted with many flick
ering lamps. 9 As Paul spoke on and on, a
young man named Eutychus, sitting on the
windowsill, became very drowsy. Finally, he
fell sound asleep and dropped three stories
to his death below. 10 Paul went down, bent
over him, and took him into his arms. “Don’t
worry,” he said, “he’s alive!” 11 Then they all
went back upstairs, shared in the Lord’s Sup
per,* and ate together. Paul continued talking
to them until dawn, and then he left. 12 Mean
while, the young man was taken home alive
and well, and everyone was greatly relieved.
Paul Meets the Ephesian Elders in Miletus
13 Paul went by land to Assos, where he had
arranged for us to join him, while we traveled
by ship. 14 He joined us there, and we sailed
together to Mitylene. 15 The next day we
sailed past the island of Kios. The following
day we crossed to the island of Samos, and*
a day later we arrived at Miletus.
16 Paul had decided to sail on past Eph
esus, for he didn’t want to spend any more
time in the province of Asia. He was hurrying
to get to Jerusalem, if possible, in time for the
Festival of Pentecost. 17 But when we landed
at Miletus, he sent a message to the elders of
the church at Ephesus, asking them to come
and meet him.
18 When they arrived he declared, “You
know that from the day I set foot in the
province of Asia until now 19 I have done the
Lord’s work humbly and with many tears.
I have endured the trials that came to me
from the plots of the Jews. 20 I never shrank
back from telling you what you needed to
hear, either publicly or in your homes. 21 I
have had one message for Jews and Greeks
alike—the necessity of e repenting from sin
and turning to God, and of having faith in
our Lord Jesus.
22 “And now I am bound by the Spirit* to
go to Jerusalem. I don’t know what awaits
me, 23 except that the Holy Spirit tells me in
city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead.
24 But my life is worth nothing to me unless
I use it for finishing the work assigned me
by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others
the Good News about the wonderful grace of
God.
25 “And now I know that none of you to
whom I have preached the Kingdom will ever
see me again. 26 I declare today that I have
been faithful. If anyone suffers eternal death,
it’s not my fault,* 27 for I didn’t shrink from
declaring all that God wants you to know.
28 “So guard yourselves and God’s people.
Feed and f shepherd God’s flock—his church,
purchased with his own blood*—over which
the Holy Spirit has appointed you as g lead
ers.* 29 I know that false teachers, like vicious
20:6
Acts 16:8, 10
20:7
Acts 2:42, 46
1 Cor 16:2
Rev 1:10
20:10
1 Kgs 17:21
2 Kgs 4:34
Matt 9:2324
20:15
2 Tim 4:20
20:18
Acts 18:1921; 19:141
20:21
Acts 2:38; 26:18
e metanoia (3341)
Rom
2:4
20:22
Acts 19:21
20:23
Acts 9:16; 21:4, 11
20:24
Acts 21:13
2 Tim 4:7
20:26
Acts 18:6
20:28
Ps 74:2
John 21:1517
1 Pet 5:2
f poimaino- (4165)
Eph
4:11
g episkopos (1985)
Phil
1:1
20:29
Matt 7:15
John 10:12
0:6 Greek the days of unleavened bread. 20:7 Greek to break bread. 20:11 Greek broke the bread. 20:15 Some
2
manuscripts read and having stayed at Trogyllium. 20:22 Or by my spirit, or by an inner compulsion; Greek reads by the spirit.
20:26 Greek I am innocent of the blood of all. 20:28a Or with the blood of his own [Son]. 20:28b Or overseers, or bishops.
20:712 On the first day of the week
the early church commemorated Jesus’
resurrection (see Mark 16:9; cp. John
20:19; Rev 1:10). • This was Paul’s last
visit to Troas, which included gathering
to share in the Lord’s Supper. This meal
probably included both communion and
a common meal (cp. Acts 2:42, 46; Jude
1:12). • The remarkable feature of this
gathering was the understated miracu
lous restoration of Eutychus, the young
man who fell asleep on a windowsill
and dropped three stories to his death
(cp. Acts 9:3641).
20:1315 Assos was a key city in Mysia
on the east coast of the Aegean Sea.
• Mitylene was the most strategic city
on the island of Lesbos. • The island of
Samos was of major importance on the
trade routes from Asia Minor to the west
and from the Aegean Sea to Egypt.
T H E P E N TAT E U C H
20:16 The Festival of Pentecost was one
of the three Jewish pilgrimage festivals
(see note on 2:14).
20:17 Miletus was a major port on the
western coast of Asia Minor at the mouth
of the Meander River. It provided a place
for Paul to meet briefly with the elders of
Ephesus on his way to Jerusalem.
20:1838 Paul’s address to the elders
of the church of Ephesus is a testimony
regarding his life and ministry in Ephe
sus, calling for similar dedication from
the leaders who would carry on the
ministry. The sermon highlights Paul’s
integrity and pastoral care (20:1821, 26,
31), speaks about the future (20:2223,
25, 2930), warns against false teachers
(20:2930), and exhorts the elders to be
watchful and faithful (20:28, 31). Paul
modeled sacrificial, conscientious, ser
vant leadership.
20:23 the Holy Spirit tells me: See, e.g.,
21:1012.
ISRAEL’S HISTORY
20:26 I have been faithful. If anyone
suffers eternal death, it’s not my fault:
Cp. Ezek 3:1621.
20:28 Paul refers to the church as God’s
people and God’s flock (cp. 1 Pet 2:25;
5:2, 4). Elsewhere the church is called
the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:27; Eph
1:23; 4:12; Col 1:24); the bride of Christ
(2 Cor 11:2; Rev 19:7; see Eph 5:2532),
the temple of the living God, (1 Cor 3:16;
2 Cor 6:16), a chosen people, royal priests,
a holy nation, God’s very own possession
(1 Pet 2:9), and God’s field, God’s building
(1 Cor 3:9). • Paul expected the leaders to
feed and shepherd the church over which
the Holy Spirit had appointed them as
leaders (see 1 Tim 3:17; Titus 1:57; 1 Pet
5:14; cp. Acts 6:24).
20:2930 vicious wolves: Paul’s prophecy
did in fact happen, prompting him to
write to Timothy in Ephesus some five
years later (see 1 Tim 1:37, 1920; 4:15;
see also Matt 7:15; 10:16; Mark 13:22;
Luke 10:3; 2 Pet 2:122; 3:3).
POETRY & WISDOM
